By MTN Sports Reporter:
Although the fall season may be over for the MTSU men’s tennis team, senior Leo Raquin is set to participate in the biggest tournament of the fall: the ITA National Championships.
The Temple transfer clinched a spot in the national championship tournament by winning the Ohio Valley region of the ITA Regional Championships back on Oct. 16. He completed a comeback victory over Memphis’ Pau Fanlo by winning back-to-back sets after losing the first one.
“I’m feeling good! I’m very happy to qualify for it.” Raquin said on the opportunity to play for a national championship. “I feel prepared, I just want to go and play on Wednesday.”
Raquin spent his first three seasons of college tennis at the University of Temple before transferring to MTSU. In his time with the Owls he was named a two-time ITA Scholar-Athlete and compiled 100 total wins (56 in singles and 44 in doubles).
When asked how the adjustment from Temple to MTSU was, Raquin said “It’s a big change for me. The team is more professional, the players are better, and the coaches have more experience.” Raquin has compiled a 16-3 overall record this fall season (13-1 in singles and 3-2 in doubles).
“It’s a very big achievement.” Associate head coach Andrea Caligiana said. “Obviously it’s an individual tournament, our main focus is the team result and the team season but our team is made up of a bunch of individuals so having good individual results is a good sign.”
No MTSU tennis player qualified for the national championships last fall. Raquin is the first Blue Raider to compete in the fall nationals since 2018. The farthest a Blue Raider has advanced was in 1997 when Fred Niemeyer lost in the finals. Raquin is looking to replicate his success this weekend.
The ITA National Championships take place this week. Raquin and coach Caligiana leave Murfreesboro today to head to California. The tournament starts Wednesday Nov. 1 and concludes Sunday Nov. 5. Raquin is awaiting to hear who he will match up with in the first round on Wednesday.